Staff Picks: The Stuff Our Editors Use to Keep Their Homes Organized and Clean

Robovacs, Ikea vinyl solutions and magic erasers. Let's go.

By The Editors

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01 March 2019

Welcome to InsideHook’s Staff Picks, a compendium of what our editors are digging recently.

simplehuman Sensor Soap Pump with CaddyA friend of mine once said everyone's allowed to be a snob about exactly two things. I'm still deciding what my two are, but I'm thinking one of them will be soap dispensers. My household had simplehuman soap pumps way back in 2012, and as a result I feel like an absolute Neanderthal in other people's bathrooms, often smashing down on plastic dispensers and making a sudsy mess. simplehuman's pumps are sleek, in brushed nickel or stainless steel, make a fun little robo-noise when dispensing and even get it done with dish soap in the kitchen — this one comes with a little side caddy for sponges. — Tanner Garrity, Associate Editor

Sorbus Foldable Storage Cube Basket BinsMy storage solutions need to be, in no particular order: uniform, flexibile and structurally sound. After using IKEA storage boxes that seemingly feel apart every six weeks, I randomly chose these storage units and never looked back. The baskets, a mix of non-woven polypropylene and cardboard, are lightweight but hold up fine when I jam 'em full of assorted electronics, clothes and gonna-sell-on-eBay-someday selections. They also fit on all my shelves and fold when I'm not using them (which is never the case). Also, 4.8/5 stars on Amazon! — Kirk Miller, Nation Editor/Managing Editor

Hanging Shoe ShelvesLiving in New York the past decade of my life, I've had to get economical with my space in order to own all the possessions I want while simultaneously living in a room that doesn't resemble something from an episode of Hoarders. It's essentially living in a tiny house at 10x the price. Why does anyone live here? Oh right culture and shit. And bodegas, definitely bodegas. Anyways, one of the best space maximizers I've gotten my hands on is one of these hanging shoe racks. It takes up about 5 shirts' worth of width in your closet and frees up a whole lot of floor space by vertically stacking your kicks. A bonus attribute is that it'll keep your shoes relatively dust free, unlike a shoe rack just sitting out in the open air, one of which I also have ... because I have a shoe problem, ok? — Eli London, Director of Partnerships and User Acquisition

Kvell Rollo HamperYou know the cliche where a man is obsessed with a tacky piece of home decor and his female companion tries to sabotage it (a la the leg lamp)? In my life, that object was a half-red, half-camouflage laundry bag that doubled as a hamper. My argument: It could take a beating from my post-workout attire. Her argument: It was butt ugly. The middle ground: Kvell’s Rollo — a hand-woven synthetic hamper that can be rolled like a beanie to adjust for your needs and withstand any sweaty, grimy and/or grungy garments you toss inside. Oh, and, sorry, no camo colorway (yet). — Alex Lauer, Senior Editor

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Wipes I know not what sorcery birthed these magical little sponges. I just know they'll take stains off everything from a granite countertop to a scuffed wall (Ed. note: and sneakers!) in a single swipe. (On further investigation, it apparently has to do with the use of an abrasive material called melamine.) The Wolf would've had Jules and Vincent's car cleaned up in half the time had these bad boys existed in '94. — Walker Loetscher, Editor in Chief

iRobot Roomba 960 Wi-Fi Connected Vacuuming RobotFirst, just re-read that name without marveling at the age in which we live. Impossible. And, after receiving one of these scarily-intelligent, dust-eating cylindrical wonders as a wedding gift, I can now say that I am 100% one of those people who will be lulled into the false sense of convenience-based security that will inevitably allow the machines to rise against us. But to sit on my couch and watch three consecutive episodes of Brooklyn 99 with a glass of wine in hand and then get up to find my apartment noticeably cleaner than when I sat down? Worth it! (Ed. note: also happens to be $80 off currently, so best to jump on it.) — Danny Agnew, Creative Director

Amrita BasketWhen it comes to decluttering, I like to throw everything I have no immediate use for into a bin and shove it underneath my bed until I eventually move and realize what a terrible system I’ve employed (I still have five months left on my lease though, so I don’t have to worry about that just yet). But what about all the stuff that won’t fit under my bed? Well, I have a system for that too. It’s called buying aesthetically-pleasing baskets, like this one from Anthropologie, and putting my stuff in there. I’ve figured that if my useless crap must be on display, at least it will look good in a handwoven rattan, wrought iron basket. — Logan Mahan, Editorial Intern

Ikea Kallax Shelf Unit As vinyl has continued to grow in popularity, so too has the number of vinyl storage solutions available to collectors. Unfortunately, though, most of these solutions are geared toward people with very small collections and very large bank accounts. Take, for instance, this record crate by Symbol Audio — it’s beautiful, yes, but it also only holds 100 records and costs a totally stupid $225. Which is why, along with scores of longtime vinyl devotees out there, I am firmly committed to Ikea’s Kallax shelving system (formerly the Expedit), which holds roughly 800 records for less than $70, leaving you with money to spend on more exciting things. Like, I dunno… records? — Mike Conklin, Executive Editor